Lira Ensemble to Perform at Dominican University Performing Arts Center, 12/1

The highly praised Lira Ensemble, which specializes in Polish music, song and dance, returns to Near Western Suburbs of Chicago after years of absence, with a holiday concert entitled "Polish Carols, Song & Dance"featuring the Lira Singers, Lira Dancers and Lira Orchestra: Sunday, December 1, 2013 at 3pm at Dominican University Performing Arts Center. Tickets: www.events.dom.edu - Box Office: 708-488-5000.

The concert features Polish carols of various styles, and also popular Polish holiday music. This concert offers the rare opportunity to hear Polish carols played by an orchestra. The Lira Ensemble will also perform works by Polish master composers such as Frederic Chopin, Stanislaw Moniuszko, and Witold Lutoslawski, one of the most respected Polish composers of the 20th century.

The entire second act is devoted to Polish folk song and dance from various regions, presented in colorful, authentic folk outfits. Some American carols and folk songs are also in the program.

The Chicago Tribune is among the many metropolitan newspapers that have given high praise to the Lira company. The Tribune wrote: "the Lira Ensemble is booming...trying to bring Polish song and dance into American life, a cultural gift from people who emigrated to this country from Poland."

Guest star at both concerts is 14-year-old Daniel Szefer - a piano prodigy who will perform music of Frederic Chopin including the Andante Spianato and Grand Polonaise Brillante. Despite his young age, Daniel has already performed around the US and has won first or second prizes at prestigious piano competitions.

The concerts will be conducted by Lira resident conductor Mina Zikri who was born in Cairo, Egypt and came to the United States in 1999. In addition to his duties with Lira, he is a guest conductor for the Cairo Symphony Orchestra in Egypt and is founder and music director of the Oistrach Symphony Orchestra of Chicago. Mr. Zikri, who is also a violinist, performed with the Lira Symphony for 5 years and has been a member of Daniel Barenboim's West Eastern Divan orchestra since 1999.

Lucyna Migala of WCEV/1450am, who is artistic director and general manager of the Lira Ensemble, will narrate the concerts in English, demonstrating some Polish holiday traditions and will offer a bit of the history and tradition behind the music and dance performed.

The Lira company is artist-in-residence at Loyola University Chicago and is the nation's only professional performing arts company specializing in Polish music, song and dance. The mission of the company is to bring the best of Polish culture into American life.

The concert is sponsored by the Consulate of the Republic of Poland in Chicago and by the Lira Society-Group 816 of the Polish Women's Alliance of America. This event is partially supported by a grant from the Illinois Arts Council Agency.

The work of the Lira Ensemble is also supported by grants from the Alphawood Foundation, the Gaylord & Dorothy Donnelley Foundation, the Richard H. Dreihaus Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Chicago Community Foundation and the Arts Work Fund.

Theater doors open at 2:30pm for the concert. Lira recordings will be available for purchase in the lobby.

Tickets for "Polish Carols, Song & Dance" are very reasonably priced so that families can attend - from $48 to $58, with discounts for groups of 20 or more and half price tickets for children under age 16 in all price ranges. All seats are reserved.

Tickets can be ordered at www.events.dom.edu, by calling the DUPAC Box Office at 708-488-5000, or by calling the Lira Ensemble at 773-508-7040 or 1-800-547-5472.